2008 Cycling Lowlights: Most Disappointing Rider, Paolo Bettini

Even Bettini must have been confused about his decreased form in 2008

After his second consecutive world road championship win in 2007, Paolo Bettini planned on riding one more season for his Quick Step team, with an aim at taking the win at the Tour of Flanders in Spring, one of the few classics that the Italian has never won. He told the media he would retire after the world championships in Varese, Italy, with hopes of becoming the first man ever to win the world title in three consecutive years.

Things started off bad at the Tour of California for Bettini, as "il grillo" was unable to win a stage. Then, his early season was compromised courtesy of crashes at both Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where he broke a rib. Things didn't go well in the hilly classics either, as Bettini failed to make the podium in any spring classics.

Once his home tour, the Giro d'Italia rolled around, Bettini had recovered enough that he was ready to contend for stage wins, but once again he was denied, leaving without a single stage win. He skipped the Tour de France to prepare for the Olympics, where he was upstaged by the Spanish team and Sammy Sanchez. Finally at the Vuelta Bettini broke through, taking two stages, and the small climber began to look like a legitimate contender for the upcoming world's.

But once again, Bettini failed to deliver, and was a non-factor as his teammate, Allesandro Ballan, soloed home for the win. Bettini was classy in defeat, and true to his word, he retired at the end of 2008. While it is sad to see him go away from the pro cycling scene, it seems to be appropriate. The old Bettini, full of panache and grit, had been replaced in 2008 by a sluggish shell of his former self. So for that, Paolo Bettini is EuroPeloton's choice for biggest disappointment of 2008.